Doug Lombardi interview from Japan

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Japanese game site famitsu.com had the interview with Valve's Doug Lombardi.
http://www.famitsu.com/game/event/2003/09/28/264,1064735715,16845,0,0.html

The content of the interview was written in Japanese language.
Here is the points of the interview:

The release date : This holiday season.

The world-wide release : At once (simultaneous release (It's ambiguous that this means the release via Steam.))

Current development status : Completed. Now is the stage of the system tuning and localization.

Localization: The support for 12 languages(English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese etc).

Expansion pack: Lombardi insisted that the expansion will be released in next year.
 
thats pretty cool...expansion plans already? thats nuts!
Unless they're referring to TF2, CS2, and/or DOD2.
 
:) so it is finished!

man some people said it wasn't finished that is why they needed more time.
 
I knew it was finished !!

Marketing Bullshit all the way !!!
 
We're getting conflicting messages on that, actually. Erik Johnson has been quoted on multiple occasions as saying that Half-Life 2 "Isn't finished" and I think even Lambardi has said it at some point in time.

Remember, this is the guy who said we'd see it on Setember 30th a month before. He hasn't exactly earned my trust at the moment.

Anywho, the expansion is already announced. That kicks ass. I am very happy. Gearbox should do a second expansion too. That would make me even more happy.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Dunn
 
Here's a lame traduction of the interview:

"In the latest Tokyo game Shaw ATI technology booth, for PC FPS ' HALF-LIFE2 which the game is open with theater type '. The touch of demonstration with the booth was reported on yesterday 27th, but furthermore that details became clear depending upon the interview to the ƒ_[ƒO Lombard person of valve corporation marketing charge of the same title development company.

To tell the truth you say with demonstration to preceding day, arrival of the equipment and material is late with the trouble of the airplane, says, that the rendering image which was videotaped inevitably was screened, but that on main day 28th of last day the safe equipment and material arrived, true real time rendering image the point where demonstration it can do reached. Among such, the Lombard person who is responded to collection of data, from outline of the story until time of sale you revealed.

According to that, first this time you say that it is the setting, times when the damage expands on terrestrial scale vis-a-vis the previous production which has the invasion of the alien with the failure of research. The new friend appears in addition to the old friend where also the center of the stage moved to east Europe from previous America, fought together with the previous production, means to unfold the alien and the battle such as ƒnƒCƒhƒ and the strike rider. As for the protagonist Gordon Freeman who of course is similar to the previous production. As for Gordon, in order that furthermore in the world where circumstance has become bad, new order is built, you struggle. Times several years after passing, are thing from the previous production, but when concretely while keeping playing the game, it keeps being revealed, it is thing.

When it sells in holiday season, namely November of this year - December, concerning the sale time which becomes matter of concern, is. Furthermore you say that it is the schedule which the entire world simultaneously sells. When presently development ends entirely, has entered into adjustment of the system and localizing stage it is thing, but including English concerning language, following 12 national languages such as Japanese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese and Korean. It seems like the plan which keeps assuring world wide development. In Japan concerning the publisher still undecided. You say that the ƒŠƒxƒ“ƒfƒB corporation which has selling rights to world wide has grasped that key.

' HALF-LIFE ' of the previous production when original edition 300 ten thousand, ' counter strike ' and ' blue shift ' with includes the extended edition which was said, 1000 ten thousand were sold, but when the water is directed concerning the latest goal "we would like to aim the sale above the previous production", after all that is. After all, release of extended edition may become the deciding factor of the long cellar, but concerning that already you call the hand that it has struck. Unless still you can reveal, after prefacing, when ' HALF-LIFE2 ' extended edition release is done to next year, the Lombard person declared details.

In Lombard person himself with this work when the point where we want observing is asked, "we want checking the point where physical law in the game considerably becomes real", that comment. In addition, when you ask the message to the Japanese prayer "' HALF-LINE2 ' it came to the point of this time being for the first time released in Asia, but you thought that there is no about American degree of distinction, you are surprised with echo above imagining in spite. So it is the expectation which can deliver those which do not betray expectation ", that being proud, you answered.

That details were ascertained more and more ' HALF-LIFE2 '. Passing the time of 5 years, it is we would like to designate the sale of the expectation work which appears as expectation."
 
SO they delayed it because of the diffrent languages? They could have just shiped it in English! And then release the languages patch on Steam....
 
<Holds lit cigarette lighter high>

Yeeaaaaahhhhhhh!

Roll on Half-Life 2: Re-Opposing Force!:E

Cool.:cool:

Seeya.
 
Sorry, it was John Cook who was quoted multiple times(And even then it wasn't actually multiple :p), not Erik Johnson. My bad :D

Quote from Planet Half-Life

Joneleth: What was the reason behind [the HL2 delay]? Or are you not allowed to say? :/
JohnC: it's not done
Joneleth: And I'm also guessing that, at this point, you all have more of a "when it's done" stance on the game's release date.
JohnC: i think we're just trying to get the new schedule finalized before announcing another date
Click to expand...

Post from the "Info from Valve" thread
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=193426#post193426

Trying to find the Lombardi quote, but I'm guessing it's just my memory playing tricks on me..

Sincerely,
Jeremy Dunn
 
w00t
w00t
I LOVE YOU ALL !!

me gonna email lombardi to ask if its real...
 
Originally posted by AgentXen
SO they delayed it because of the diffrent languages? They could have just shiped it in English! And then release the languages patch on Steam....
Click to expand...

The languages is their excuse to the delay. They could have said that their servers crashed, or that half the Valve team is sick, or that they found out that you can kill some people and you'll have no chance of completing the game, thus they need more time to fix.

Like, "Holiday release", what could be more obvious than that? Some guy said "Hey, people, you know what? We could sell more copies if we make a holiday release". They didn't even give a date.
 
Cool. Awesome. Is this kosher?

"...but when the water is directed concerning the latest goal..."

Man. They had a go at him with the hose. I *wish* I could have seen that. What a way to get the guy to come clean.

:E

Seeya.
 
YA!! An expansion pack next year. The fact that they have delayed it so they can make the translated versions is a little annoying. Then again all this extra time also means a large amount of bugs can be found and fixed before the release.
 
Haha ! See ?! It is finished !!!
:D

But it's a shame to wait more 2 - 3 monthes ! This is just super crazy :(
:x :x:x

;(

Any way ... what the hell ? A new pack next year ???!?!?!?!?
What the game it so short :O ? (Hope not , hope they only want more money :D)
 
Like, "Holiday release", what could be more obvious than that? Some guy said "Hey, people, you know what? We could sell more copies if we make a holiday release". They didn't even give a date.
Click to expand...

You know, that doesn't even really make sense.. If anything, it will make Half-Life 2 sell LESS copies, since it will have been on shelves for a shorter period of time and there would be less to go around during the Christmas rush, whereas if Half-LIfe 2 were to be released earlier, those who buy it right when it comes out wouldn't have to contend with the holiday shoppers.

I mean, the people who are going to buy it right when it comes out will buy it if it comes out in September or December, no matter what. Meanwhile, the people who are going to wait until the holidays to purchase it will purchase it when the holidays roll around, not before. (Unless their weird and buy their gifts months ahead of time...) And since no retailer in their right mind would remove Half-Life 2 from the shelves after 3 months, there'd be no chance of them not buying it because it had already come and gone.

Seriously, DELAYING a game for a holiday release to make more money just plainly does NOT make sense, IMO. (Releasing something early is another matter entirly though..) I really can't see ANY major trend of missed sales caused by releasing Half-Life 2 early. Can you guys?


Sincerely,
Jeremy Dunn
 
us version is finished but we have to wait? Damn, I'm from Germany, I want the US Version NOW. I don't care for a crappy dubbed censored version. This is all Vivendis fault, they want the store-release not later than the steam release. That's the whole reason. My theorie in that directions seems to be very realistic. F U VIVENDI! Valve needs bigger cohones and should start to release the US Steam version at the old promised date (9/30).
 
Guys, just calm down. I'm guessing the quote is a translation error. (Judging from the poorly translated article, they were discussion what would happen AFTER the game got finished.) or else John Cook is full of it. (Which I seriously doubt)

Can anyone read Japanese as well as they do english?

EDIT:
When presently development ends entirely, has entered into adjustment of the system and localizing stage
Click to expand...

Honestly "Adjustment of the system" sounds like testing it for bugs to me..

Sincerely,
Jeremy Dunn
 
Because the mass is stupid, because the mass wants NEW products.

The mass won't buy a 3 months old product at Christmas, they want NEW STUFF.

Go figure...
 
Nothing's new. VALVE is just another moneysucker company.
 
I don't understand what this is all about with the delay and all but then again they don't seem to be puting any effort towards that so i don't expect to.
 
ok so it is finished...by why is it going to take like2-3 months for releasE?
 
commando: Localisation. That means they do some normal driver/bugfixing (maybe preventing one update patch that would have been out 1 week after release) and localisation. They want a worldwide release. That means even the japanese localisation has to bee finished and checked. In the meantime the US version only gets those minimal driver-optimisation/bug fixes but basically Valve is waiting for the syncro studios to finish their jobs and for Vivendi to get their multilingual manuals printed...

If Valve would be free in their decisions, we already would download the first files of the US Steam Version. I think a worldwide Steam release will only stall Steam and create chaos.
 
hmmm ok money money money.

so what is valve doing now. what i mean is what have they got to do for the reason of delay?

1) fix steam?
2) do all languages?
3) test game
 
Originally posted by FriScho
commando: Localisation. That means they do some normal driver/bugfixing (maybe preventing one update patch that would have been out 1 week after release) and localisation. They want a worldwide release. That means even the japanese localisation has to bee finished and checked. In the meantime the US version only gets those minimal driver-optimisation/bug fixes but basically Valve is waiting for the syncro studios to finish their jobs and for Vivendi to get their multilingual manuals printed...

If Valve would be free in their decisions, we already would download the first files of the US Steam Version. I think a worldwide Steam release will only stall Steam and create chaos.
Click to expand...

thanks
 
Doug said only the other day that: "In reality, the game just isn't finished."

So I take this with a pinch of salt...
 
Well just look at it this way guys, it'll only be a month and a half for the November release date if not then it'll be around 2 month-2 and 1/2 for the release. :(
 
Nothing's new. VALVE is just another moneysucker company.
Click to expand...
LOL - that money sucker company who are founded by two Microsoft Millionaires who never have to work again, who are jointly owned by all the staff, and who put all the profits from HL into HL2.

Damn moneysuckers...
 
Originally posted by Crusader
Doug said only the other day that: "In reality, the game just isn't finished."

So I take this with a pinch of salt...
Click to expand...

I think I see what the problem is. The reason Doug said that " It isnt finished" Is because he might have been thinking that all the different language versions weren't finished. If the next question to Doug was- "Is the english version finished?" I bet he would have said "yes." Just my guess
 
heh, we sent an interview off to him a few days back and sent half of those questions, ah well.
 
"After all, release of extended edition may become the deciding factor of the long cellar, but concerning that already you call the hand that it has struck. Unless still you can reveal, after prefacing, when ' HALF-LIFE2 ' extended edition release is done to next year,"


Hmmmm what is this? Is this translated to the "Special" DVD edition?
 
Wow a company creating a game to MAKE money...that's shocking ;)

I think some people think valve (or whomever) make things just for them and if something is delayed they take it personally. After all, I can see everyone going to work and saying, "Nah you don't have to pay me for my work. I'm doing it just for you."

That's pretty silly and incredibly unrealistic.

Of course they are in it for money! Why be shocked or angered by this? They are in a buisness to make money.

If the game rocks we all will be happy, if it sucks we won't, and they will lose money on future releases. It doesn't matter WHEN it's released or why it's released late. I'll be paying my $50 no matter when it comes out.

Also, a game released at Christmas will sell more than a game released during September, that's just marketing and there is no arguing it. And it can NOT be said that they will LOSE money because they lost two months of time, because the people who WOULD buy it in september WILL buy it two months later. So on that end it all evens out. But, add to that christmas sales and in fact they will make more money. If you saw a game which was 2-3 months old would you buy it as a present? You MIGHT, but you would also hesitate because the person you're buying for may already have it at that point. But a game just released you would not hesitate on. So, people who WILL buy it now, will have it whenever it comes out (no money lost), but people will also not hesitate to buy it as a gift because it's "new" and new things sell better during the holidays. That's simply fact.

I have always believed the game was done for all intensive purposes. They were too sure of the sept 30th date and with 4+ years being hidden while creating this game, they surely only came out when they were sure it was close to being done.

That only leaves outside things (like Nivida bugs, steam not up to par, and marketing).
 
@Someone: For Valve it would be better to get the game ASAP via Steam out of the door. Steam gets them most direct-money and Steam needs TIME to spread because users have to download the stuff. For Vivendi it's the other way round. They want to have a boxed product THEY sell and THEY get most money. And they don't want steam to take away from that. They also want to have some high first-week sales for their shareholders. Having a "best selling game during holiday season 2003" news increases your shareholder value. So Valve and Vivendi BOTH want money, but the way to get it is different. But Vivendi has more power and at the end of the day Valve is just one single software developer and no big publisher. So Valve needs to do what Vivendi says as long as Steam is not available and fast enough for all gamers on the planet.
 
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